Embarking on a Global Journey: Tracing the Path of Charles Darwin to Shape the World
Embark on the Darwin200 Global Voyage, a transformative two-year journey that empowers the next generation of conservationists Follow in Charles Darwin's footsteps and discover how we can still shape the world for a better future Join the global classroom of Darwin Leaders today
"Call to Earth" is a CNN series dedicated to covering the environmental challenges and solutions for our planet. CNN has partnered with Rolex's Perpetual Planet initiative to promote awareness and education on sustainability issues and to encourage positive action. Currently, the 106-year-old sailing ship "Oosterschelde" is docked in the Falkland Islands, retracing the journey taken by naturalist Charles Darwin almost 200 years ago aboard the HMS Beagle, which greatly influenced his theory of evolution.
The Oosterschelde set sail from Plymouth, England in August and is following a simplified version of Darwin's route to Australia. The ship will make stops at 32 ports, including key locations visited by Darwin such as the Galapagos Islands and the Falkland Islands. The mission of the voyage is to inspire and empower young conservationists.
The Darwin200 Global Voyage was co-founded by Stewart McPherson, a British geographer and natural history writer. The inspiration for the project came over 10 years ago from a meeting with Fred Burton, a conservationist on the Cayman Islands who initiated a project to save the blue iguana species.
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How Charles Darwin is inspiring a new generation of conservationists
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McPherson stated that he refused to allow the amazing animal to fall into extinction and personally rescued it. He believes that it demonstrates our ability to save many incredible species. He also expressed his admiration for Charles Darwin and his work, emphasizing that it is not too late to change the world for the better.
Darwin Leaders
The vessel transports a skilled group of eight individuals, comprising of an avian expert, educationalist in science, expert in marine biology, and a member of the press, along with an additional seven crew members consisting of sailors.
At each port, groups of "Darwin Leaders" will join the crew, selected for their dedication to nature conservation and environmental protection. A total of 200 individuals will participate in a week-long conservation leadership training program at various points along the voyage.
The ship set sail from Plymouth, England, in August 2023.
Darwin200/George Amies
McPherson stated that they are partnered with a local conservation project, where participants learn valuable skills to bring back to their home countries for future use.
In November, Joseph Roy, a Darwin Leader from India, traveled to Brazil to join the ship for a week while it was docked at Rio de Janeiro. Growing up around wildlife in Kerala, he has always had a strong interest in conservation. Currently, he is pursuing a Masters in Ecology at the University of Glasgow and The Scottish Centre for Ecology.
"He said that nature calms him and keeps him positive about the world, so he makes an effort to observe it whenever possible. He believes that science is the ultimate solution to any problem on the planet."
Roys conservation project is centered on reintroducing howler monkeys to the Tijuca Forest in the mountains of Rio de Janeiro. His ultimate goal is to use the knowledge and research from this project to assist in reintroducing the lion-tailed macaque species in India, where only 3,000 individuals remain in the wild.
"Being generally curious about everything, I try to speak with everyone about what theyâre doing," said Roy. "From how they bred the howler monkeys to how they monitor their health, I try to collect as much knowledge as I can to take back home."
Darwin Leader Joseph Roy wants to apply what he learns from the Darwin200 initiative to reintroduce the lion-tailed macaque species in India.
Darwin 200
Global classroom
Dr. Sarah Darwin, a prominent researcher at the Berlin Natural History Museum and the great-great-granddaughter of Charles Darwin, is a crucial advocate for Darwin200. She believes that the project holds the promise of a brighter future for our planet.
Each Darwin leader brings different skills and takes away what they need, "being part of a network and giving them the skills to continue their work and feel supported," she told CNN. The initiative aims to inspire a larger group than the 200 Darwin Leaders, providing free outreach activities during the voyage. These activities, known as the "world's most exciting classroom," are intended to encourage curiosity and a passion for learning among students, teachers, and individuals worldwide. The offerings include online interactive experiments, live lectures, and interviews with conservationists and wildlife experts.
McPherson hopes these activities, along with the project itself, will empower young leaders to drive change, creating a "ripple effect" that, much like Darwins work, will be felt for decades to come.
